1. Field of the Invention
The invention is a diagnostic tool for teaching or practicing the game of golf, specifically for optically recording the squareness of the golf club head at the position of ball impact.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention partially fills the need of teaching a golfer to swing a golf club properly and effectively. A proper swing causes the club head to strike the ball squarely, at the proper elevation and at high speed. Some of the prior art is directed to the latter two factors; this invention addresses only the first factor.
Sequence photography and closed-circuit television are commonly used to record the player's motions, or less commonly the club striking the ball. The time elapsed between the stroke and the replay of it for observation is one of the problems with this approach. There are electronic stroke analyzers which record the motion of a special ball or club head containing spots, in which the angle of the clubface is obtained by triangulation of a pair of spots or stripes, using ambient light. These devices not only require complex electronics, they require equipment to be located close to the ball and so lack accurate simulation of the normal conditions of play. One device described in patent 3,194,563 uses a mirror mounted on the tip of a special club, the plane of the mirror being perpendicular to the clubface plane. As the mirror passes a concentrated beam of light angled slightly downward, the light is reflected to a photosensor which lights an indicator light. This device is also located rather close to the ball in that all components are mounted on a common base. Hence it also is unlike the normal conditions of play. Furthermore a special club is required, which being unlike the golfer's normal club will cause subtle differences in his swing. Finally, the result of the swing is displayed on the device, which is directly in front of the golfer. Psychologically a golfer is accustomed to looking toward his target to learn the result of his swing. These deficiencies are overcome in my invention.